N-substituted oxyacetamides



Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE N-SUBSTITUTED OXYACETAMIDES Lowell B. Kilgore, Washington, D. 0., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Lowell B. Kilgore and Helen Ford Kilgore, both of Washington, D. (J.

No Drawing. Application April 27, 1945, Serial No. 590,722

wherein R is a radical of the type R"(OA) 1L- in whichR" is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon and halogenated aryl, A is alkylene, and n is an integer not greater than 2; and R is hydrocarbon. A further object of this invention is the preparation of new and useful chemicals which possess insect combating properties to a high degree. Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

These objects may be accomplished by reacting an a-etherified acetic acid with a primary amine so as to eliminate a molecule of water as follows:

The same objects may also be accomplished by reacting an amide-forming derivative of an aetherified acetic acid, such as the acyl halide, acid anhydride, or the ester of a volatile alcohol with a primary amine. These methods of preparing my new N-substituted a-etherified acetamides are characterized by the following equations:

wherein Y is the hydrocarbon residue of a volatile alcohol and X is halogen.

Still another means which I have discovered of attaining the objects of this invention comprises reacting the proper N-substituted a-haloacetamide with the alkali oxide of the requisite alcohol as shown by the following equation:

wherein Me represents an alkali metal and X is 9 Claims. (Cl. 167-30) 2 (3) and (4), R and R, represent either the same or different organic radicals.

The various means of obtaining the objects of this invention will be more readily understood by the following showing of detailed examples which, however, do not limit the scope of the invention in any way.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of N-cyclohexyl fi-phenoatyethowyacetamide A mixture of 21 grams of methyl B-phenoxyethoxyacetate and 15 grams of cyclohexyl amine was refluxed for a day on an oil bath. During this refluxing the methanol of reaction was gradually distilled off. The reaction mixture was diluted with a benzene-ether solution and fractionated under reduced pressure. 14 grams of N-cyclohexyl fi-phenoxyethoxyacetamide boiling at 188-190 C./2 mm. were obtained.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of N-cyclohearyl p-butoxyethoccyacetamide A mixture of 17.6 grams of B-butoxyethoxyacetic acid, 12 grams of thionyl chloride and cc. of benzene was refluxed for three hours. Then excess thionyl chloride was removed by distillation together with 25 cc. of benzene. 9.8 grams of cyclohexyl amine were added and the resulting mixture refluxed for 5 hours. The reaction mixture was washed with water. and NaI-ICO: solution and then distilled under reduced pressure. 21 grams of N-cyclohexyl [i-butoxyethoxyacetamide boiling at 136138 C./1 mm. were obtained.

EXAMPLE 3 Preparation of N-aZZyZ p-butoxyethoxyethoryv acetamide 6 grams of [3-butoxyethoxyethoxyacetic acid and an excess of allyl amine were refluxed under an air condenser at 160 for 4 hours then at 200 for hour so that-water could escape as formed. The reaction mixture was diluted with benzene and successively washed with water, dilute 1101, water, NaI-ICO: solution and water. It was then distilled under reduced pressure. 3 grams of N-allyl ,6-butoxyethoxyethoxyacetamide boiling at 135 C./1 mm. were obtained.

Other members of the new series of N-substihalogen. In the foregoing equations (1), (2), 55 tuted a-etherified acetamides which I have prepared by the methods set out in detail in the aforedescribed examples are:

N -amyl butoxyethoxyacetamide N-amyl 2,4,5,6-tetrachlorophenoxymethoxyacetamide N-octyl 2,4,5,6=-tetrachlorophenoxymethoxyacetamide N-amyl benzoxymethoxyacetamide N-cyclohexyl fi-ethoxyethoxyacetamide N-amyl B-butoxyethoxyacetamide N-dodecyl B-butoxyethoxyacetamide N -phenethyl benzoxyethoxyacetamide N-amyl -butoxyethoxyethoxyacetamide N-phenyl p-butoxyethoxyethoxyacetamide I have discovered that the new N-substituted a-etherified acetamides of my invention, as a class, possess valuable insect toxicant and fugient properties. Furthermore the physical properties of these compounds such as odor and color are such as to make them unobjectionable for human use.

Table I demonstrates the efiicacy of representative members of this new series of organic compounds against the common house fly, Musca domestica. The test procedure used Was, the Sandwich Bait method substantially as described in Soap, June 1939, p. 103 if. A coating of molasses was applied to one side of a strip of blotting paper and dried to a hard glossy surface.

The molasses was then covered with a strip of a special thin, porous paper which had previously been immersed in an alcohol solution of the compound to be tested and then dried until the alcohol had evaporated. For purpose of comparison one strip was treated only with solvent and dried. The strips prepared in this fashion were mounted on a board and introduced into a large cage containing more than 2900 hungry house flies. By making observations at frequent intervals the duration ofrepellency, that is the length of time which elapsed before the flies began to feed on the molasses through the treated tissue was determined.

1 Bait still untouched. Test discontinued in order to feed flies.

Not only do the compounds of my invention possess especially marked repellency to house flies, they are also very efiective against other annoying pests such as the blackfiy, mosquito, flea, red bug, gnat, and moth.

EXAMPLE 4 (a) When applied to the forearm of an individual exposed to hungry Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, N-cyclohexyl p-butoxyethoxyacetamide repelled the insects for an average of 252 minutes.

(2)) When applied to the forearm of an individual exposed to hungry Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, N-cyclohexyl p-ethoxyethoxyacetamide repelled the insects for an average of 73 minutes.

Moreover I have discovered that these new N- .substituted a-etherified acetamides possess contact insecticidal properties.

This was demonstrated by means of the Feet-Grady bio-assay technique using house flies.

EXAMPLE 5 a) 5 percent solution of N -amy1 2,45,8- tetrachlorophenoxymethoxyacetamide in deodorized kerosenewgave a knockdown of 97 percent in ten minutes and a. 51 percent kill after 24 hours when tested by the Poet-Grady method against house flies.

(b) A 5 percent solution of N-cyclohexyl flethoxyethoxyacetamide in deodorized kerosene gave a knockdown of 97 percent in ten minutes and a kill of 36 percent after 24 hours when tested by the Feet-Grady method against house flies.

These new N-substituted a-etherified acetamides may be employed by direct topical application or they may be incorporated into liquid or solid carriers. They are especially useful as the active ingredients of insect-repellent lotions, creams, ointments and the like. They may be dissolved in liquid diluents such as alcohol, aqueous alcohol, isopropanol, dimethyl phthalate and hydrocarbon oils such as kerosene or emulsified in water, if necessary with the aid of a suitable dispersing agent. If desired they may be admixed with finely divided carriers such as diatomaceous earth, talc, pyrophylite, bentonite, etc.

Furthermore the. new compounds of my invention may be combined with insecticidal materials such as pyrethrum, rotenone, derris, cube, DDT and the like. Such a combination is particularly effective where the paralytic and lethal action of the insecticide is slow.

Although this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments thereof it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principles of this invention may be embodied in other forms but within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. The N-substituted a-etherifled acetamides having the general formula:

Alk (OA) n--OCH2CONHR' wherein Alk is alkyl, A is alkylene and n is a positive integer not greater than 2; and R is hydrocarbon.

2. N-amyl 8butoxyethoxyacetamide 3. N-cyclohexyl p-butoxyethoxyacetamide 4. N-amyl ,B-butoxyethoxyethoxyacetamide 5. An insect combative composition of matter comprising as essential active ingredient N-amyl B-butoxyethoxyacetamide and a carrier therefor.

6. An insect combative composition of matter comprising as essential active ingredient N-cyclohexyl fl-butoxyethoxyacetamide and a carrier therefor.

'7. An insect combative composition of matter comprising as essential active ingredient N-amyl 13-butoxyethoxyethoxyacetamide and a carrier therefor.

8. The N-substituted alpha-etherifled acetamides having the general formula:

AlkOC2H4-OCH2CONHA11 whereinAlk is alkyl.

9. The N-substituted alpha-etherified acetamides having the general formula:

Alk--OC2H4OCH2CO-NI-ICyc1oalk wherein Alk is alkyl and Cycloalk is cycloalkyl.

LOWELL B. KILGORE.

(References on following pa REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS The following references are of record in the Number Country N Date file of this patent: 585,740 Germany fin- .1 .1 Oct. 17, 1933 784,666 France ""141 May 6, 1935 b UNITEDNSTATES PAIEMS D t 6 501,004 Great Britain 11-- Feb. 10, 1939 Num er ame a e r Re.22,700 Muller v w Sept. 20,1945 OTHER REFERENCES 563,009 Bischler 11h- June 30, 1896 Sidgwicks Organic Chemistry of Nitrogen 2,347,494 Meigs Apr. 25, 1944 (1937 pages 136 to 140. 2,382,433 McNally et a1. 1 Aug. 14, 1945 10 Walther in Jourt Prak. Chem (2), vol. 65, 2,426,885 Kilgore 1- 1 Sept. 2,1947 page 480,1902. 

1. THE N-SUBSTITUTED A-ETHERIFIED ACETAMIDES HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA: 